Description / Duties:
     A criminologist studies crime and criminal laws. The primary studies are focused on the behavior of criminals in order to develop explanations as to why people commit crimes. By knowing, or at least theorizing, about the minds of criminals, the criminologist can then help police departments and other agencies narrow down the list of suspects for the crime being investigated. They can also use that knowledge to help law enforcement agencies, communities, and individuals develop better ways to protect themselves and others from crime. Areas of study and/or expertise may include such fields as criminal behavior, criminal corrections, drug addiction, juvenile delinquency, police policy, and victimology.
     Duties vary depending on the agency for which the criminologist works or if they work as consultants. In the event an agency hires a criminologist, he (she) will be assigned duties by the head of that department or agency. Many criminologists only get directly involved when called by a law enforcement agency to act as a consultant. While not working with a law enforcement agency, they may be involved in research or teaching at colleges or universities. Others may participate in discussions and on planning committees for the development of new prisons, crime prevention programs, anti-drug task forces, and other projects related to crime and law enforcement.

Schedule:
     If the criminologist is a full-time employee of a law enforcement agency, they'll be required to work the schedule set by that agency. If acting as a consultant, they can set an on-call schedule. Other work is based on the scheduling of class time if they teach or as they set a schedule if they have a private practice.

Requirements:
     To become a criminologist, most agencies require a minimum of a master's degree from an accredited college or university. Most colleges and universities require a PhD for criminologist who teach.